Legging



K. E. JENSEN Feb. 23, 1932.

.LEGGING Filed Nov 16. 192e IUI/'67%.' Karl E Jnsen,

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 Unire!) STATES PATENT oFFlcE KARL E. JENSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL GLOVES CORPORA TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF'DELAWARE LEGS-ING- Application filed November'16, 1928. Serial No. 319,782.

The invention relates generally to a legging and more particularly to leggings adapted for use by workmen in industries in which the danger hazard is great, due to fly- .:5 ing particles of molten metal and the like.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improved legging adaptedl to protect the leg and foot of the wearer.

In industries of the character for which the invention is particularly adapted, mishaps frequently occur during the handlingof molten metal or the like. At such times, molten metal, in varying quantities, is aptl to be splashed or otherwise thrown into contact with the workmans legs. This metal adheres immediately to the contacted surface and will sometimes cause serious injury even though the workmans legs be protected in some manner. An important object of the present invention, therefore, resides in the provision of a protecting legging which may be removed instantly by a single operative movement.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a new and improved legging of simplilied construction which iscapable of easy and immediate adjustmentY for size.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure' l is an inner face view of a legging extended to show the features of the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the legging'v as'it appears when in position upon a wearers leg.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of a part of the supporting and fastening means.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on theline lc-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a detail of construction. y

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed but intendV to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended. claims. Y

In attaining the dominating features of the present invention, a leg-protecting covering is constructedand shaped to fit a wearers leg and overlie the instep of the foot. The legging is capable of being easily fitted and secured about the wearers leg, and the securing means are so arranged that a single con-` tinuous operative pull by the wearer is all that is necessary to release the securing means and completely remove the legging.

More particularly described the legging comprises a iiexible leg protecting covering preferably formed of flexible leather or other suitable fire and heat resisting material. The covering is shaped to fit about wearers leg between the ankle and the knee cap and has a front portion 6 which fits about the front or shin portion of the leg and a flap portion I which extends about the back of the'leg' and tucks under the side of the front portion 6 completely to enclose and protect the leg. Atappropriate points the top of the front portion may be slit downwardly a short distance and then sewed together with portions of the covering overlapping, as at 8, thereby forming an inwardly tapering portion, gen-V erally designated as 9, (Fig. 2) which insures that the upper portion of the legging will lit snugly about the wearers leg.

The lower part of the front portion 6 is constructedv to provide an outwardly extending portion or flare'generally indicated at 10 v which overlies and protects the instep of the foot. In prior constructions it has been customary to form the entire flare portion separately and then to incorporate the flare in a suitably formed legging blank. This methodiwastes a considerable amount of material since the blank must cut away a substantial amount to accommodate the flare.

In the present embodiment the flare is constructed in a novel manner, which is economical in the use of material. Thus, referring to Fig. 5, when the legging blank comprising the front portion 6 and iiare 7 is formed, a downwardly curved portion 11 is provided upon the lower edge of the front portion and a narrow elongated notch 12 is cut at one side of this curved portion extending substantially radially of the curve. The resulting form of the blank is shown in broken outline f in Fig. 5. An insert 13 which in size is subcal manner since the only waste portion of material is that formed when the notch 12 is cut. For the sake of appearance a line of false stitching 15 may be formed as a con-r tinuance of that part of the stitching 14 which arcs across the front of the leg.

The flare may also include a reinforcing member or piece 16 secured to the front portion of the flare to resist wear at this point. A small gusset 17 or the like is also provided in that portion of the Lap 7 overlying the heel of the wearer, to allow the legging to fit snugly around the heel. Stifiening means for supporting the legging longitudinally in position upon the wearers leg are provided, in

the present embodiment, in the form of a pair of substantially flat elongated pieces 18 of relatively heavy, stilin material such as leather, composition, fiber or the like, secured one on either .side of the longitudinal median line of the front portion 6. The pieces are of sufli cient width to substantially cover and reinforce the front portion 6 and are arcuate at their lower edges to conform to the flare 10. The flexibility of the front portion, however,

' is retained by spacing the pieces apart.

The securing means by which the legging is held in its proper position about the lleg of the wearer comprises upper and lower fastening members arranged normally to provide an engagement between the covering portion and the underlying iap portion. This engagement is such that the two parts are positively held against separation by the pull normally exerted when the legging is worn,

` but may be readily separated by a pull in a direction other than normal. In other words, the engaging means are amply capable of maintaining the legging in wearing position but may be easily disengaged by a simple relative movement of the parts. Other fastening means, which in itself may be disengaged by a simple pull, is provided normally to hold the upper and lower engaging means against accidental disengagement.

In attaining this end the present invention contemplates the provision of an elongated rigid bar 18 of metal or other suitable material which is suitably secured vertically along the free edge of the front portion 6. As herein illustrated the m-cans for securing the bar is by forming a pocket by turning the edge of the front portion 6 upon itself and sewing the bar therein. The bar may be offset slightly as shown in Fig. 3 to conform to the shape of the wearers leg and has near its upper and lower ends a pair of hook members 19 rigid therewith which extend inwardly of the cover portion, when the bar is secured to the legging. In shape, the hooks are preferably in the form of a right angled member having one relatively short leg which is secured to the bar 18.

T he hook members are arranged to engage any one of a series of transversely extending apertures 2O provided at appropriate positions near the edge of the flap portion 7 of the legging. The apertures are preferably reinforced by strips of stiff leather or similar rigid material secured to the flap. Eyelets 22, of a well-known type, designate the apertures 2O and extend through the flap portion 7 and the reinforcing pieces 21 further to secure them together. Thus, when the legging is being placed u pon the leg, the flap portion 7 is wound around the rear portion of the leg and tucked underneath the edge of the cover portion. The hooks 19 are then inserted in the proper apertures to secure the legging in place. It will be seen that by providing series of the apertures the legging is readily adjusted to lit snugly about the leg.

In addition to the upper and lo ver securing means, another fastening member is provided for maintaining the normal engagement thereof. This means comprise an ordinary type of buckle 23 fastened to a strap 24 or the like, which in turn is secured to the legging. ln this embodiment, the securing means is in the form of a rivet 25 extending through pocket-forming layers of the front portion 6 and also through the bar 18 which prefer-A ably is apertured as at 26 to permit the rivet 25 to be readily applied.

A strap 27 having a series of apertures 28 therein is fastened to the flap portion 7 for engagement by the buckle in the customary manner. The strap 27` however, is detachably secured to the flap 7 so that a simple pull upon the unengaged end of the strap will release the strap from the flap. To this end any wellknown type of readily detachable snap fastener 29 may be used as, for example, one embodying complementary male and female members. If desired, the member of the fastener which is carried by the strap 27 may be mounted thereon for adjustment longitudinally thereof.

From the above description of the fastening means, it will be apparent that the hook members 19 after engagement with the apertures 2O will resist a direct pull tending to separate the parts. If however the bar 18 is tipped slightly the hooks will immediately.Y slide out of engagement with the apertures. Thus, when the legging is mounted upon the wcarers leg, with the hooks in engagement to hold the upper and lower portions of the legging against separation, the strap 27 engaging the buckle 23 in the desired position of adjustment, and with the snap fastener 29 engaged, the legging is firmly held in position. When it is necessary to'remove the legging quickly, as would be the case if a quantity of hot metal splashed upon the legging, the operator merely grasps the free end of the strap 27 and with a quick pull disengages the snap fastener 29. This pull, at substantially the same instant, tips the bar 18 to slide the hooks out of the apertures and free the legging, and continuing unwraps and swings the legging from the leg. By this construction, therefore, a legging has been provided which is capable of complete and instant removal from a wearers leg by a single operative movement in-only one direction, that is, a sweeping substantially tangential motion directed forwardly of and a bit outwardly from the leg.

I claim as my invention:

l. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering capable of extending entirely about a wearers leg to position one side edge underlying the other, a bar secured along one side edge of said covering having hook members rigid therewith and spaced longitudinally thereof, and means appropriately positioned on the other of said side edges to be engaged by said hook members to maintain said covering in position upon a wearers leg, said hook members being constructed instantly to release said engaged means upon a movement of said bar in one direction.

2. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering adapted to extend about a wearers leg and to Vposition opposite sides thereof adjacent each other, one of said sides having a plurality of apertures therein, hook means upon the other of said sides adapted to engage certain of said apertures to maintain the legging in position upon a wearers leg, and a member connecting said hook means movable to effect a simultaneous disengagement of said hook means from said apertures.

3. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering arranged to be fitted about a wearers leg with opposite sides thereof overlying one another, complementary upper and lower fastening members upon opposite sides of said covering engageable to maintain the covering in position upon the wearers leg, means connecting the fastening members upon one side of said covering movable to release said holding engagement, and means for holding said members against movement comprising a strap and buckle instrumentality interposed between the opposite sides of said covering.

l. A legging comprising, in combination., a flexible leg protecting covering arranged to be fitted about a wearers leg with opposite sides thereof overlying one another, complementary upper and lower fastening members upon opposite sides of said covering 'arranged when in engagement toA maintain the covering in position upon the wearers leg, means connecting the fastening members upon one side of said covering movable to release said holding'engagement, and means for holding said members against movement comprising a buckle permanently secured to one of said sides, a loose strap to engage said buckle, and a snap fastener interposed between said strap and the other of said sides.

5. A legging having, in combination with a leg protecting covering arranged to encircle the wearers leg with opposite sides thereof in overlapping relation, means for holding said legging in normal position upon a wearers leg and capable of instant disengagementJ said means comprising a bar carried by the outer one of said overlapping sides, hook members rigidly mounted in spaced longitudinal relation on said bar, means upon the underlying side engageable by said hook members, said hook members being formed to releasesaid engagement upon a tipping movement of said bar, `and quickly detachable means'connecting said overlapping sides normally Vto prevent tipping of said bar and operable in the detaching vmovement thereof to tip said bar to release the hooked engagement.

6. A legging comprising, in combination, a leg protecting covering, means for maintaining said covering in position upon a wearers leg and a flare secured to the lower portion of said covering, approximately half of said flare being integral with saidcovering and the other half of said flare being formedY as a separate piece secured thereto.

7. A legging comprising, in combination, a leg protecting covering, means for holding said cove-ring upon a wearers leg and an outwardly extending portion near the lower edge of said covering arranged to protect the instep of a wearers shoe, one half of said flare being a flap constructed in the form of a continuance of said covering, the other half of said flare portion being a separate piecesecured to said covering and said fiap.

8. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering adapted to extend about a wearers leg to position opposite sides thereof adjacent each other, a plu rality of spaced hooks carried by one of said sides, means on the other one of said sides engageable by said hooks, and means connecting said hooks to permit simultaneous disengagement thereof by movement of said connecting means.

9. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering adapted to extend about a wearers leg to position opposite sides thereof adjacent each other, a plurality of spaced hooks carried by one of said sides, means on the other one of said sides engageable by said hooks, means connecting said hooks to permit simultaneous disengagement thereof by movement of saidconnecting means, and means independent of said hooks for normally maintaining said hooks in engagement.

10. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering adapted to extend about a Wearers leg to position opposite sides thereof adjacent each other, means for detaohably securing the sides together at one end of the legging, a hook member carried by one side of said covering at the top end of said legging, and a laterally extending series of apertures on the other sideI of said covering positioned to be optionally engaged by said hook member to hold the sides at that end of the legging together, said hook member being fashioned for release from an engaged aperture by a lateral pull on the covering side on which said member is carried.

l1. A legging comprising, in combination, a flexible leg protecting covering adapted to extend about a Wearers leg to position opposite sides thereof adjacent each other, means for detachably securing the sides together at one end of the legging, and means for detachably securing the sides together at the other end of said legging including an aperture on one of said sides and a hook member carried on the other of said sides to engage said aperture, said hook member being fashioned for release from such engagement by a lateral pull on the side of the covering on which the hook is mounted.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

KARL E. JENSEN. 

